War, Terrible War
by Moriarty16
Summary: This is a story chronicling the events that led to the atomic war that destroyed the planet, that led to the formation of Panem, the uprising of the districts and the first Hunger Games.
1. The Coming War

**| THE COMING WAR |**

I don't know what the year is anymore, no-one cares. They just count them with the Games. But let's go back to the year 2310...

I guess it began when Rovarco Mitch, a Chinese-American citizen, decided to hack the Pentagon and the Chinese Government's files. No-one had ever pulled this off before, and no-one would ever in a million years be able to imagine a small fraction of what his actions were going to create one day. The horror and the terror that would befall the peoples of America. And I'm not talking about the atomic war, I'm talking about after that.

Rovarco lived mostly in America after being forced out of China for his own safety when his parents were being hunted by Keepers, some early new idea of policing that was stolen from the US, who had a warrant to search the house and arrest the family for using Western technology and fashion (contradictory, I know, and rather retro if you consider China four hundred years earlier), such as the holographic computing and the sparkly niche dresses that were coming into fashion.

That's right, America were becoming way more advanced than not just China, but everyone in the world. The dresses I mentioned came from Nick Trinket, a fashion-obsessed celebrity who never shut up about gentle breeding. The Peace-Keeping Act created a 'new breed' of policing that quickly inspired other countries such as France, Israel, China and Afghanistan, but their forces were not as great in number as America's. There were at least a thousand 'Peacekeepers' in each state. Jebediah Crane, leader of a secret research team occupied in the Rocky Mountains, invented the holographic screening that he adapted from the most advanced form of retina display, and most of his associates decided to set up their own divisions analysing holographic science in order to find out how to integrate it with human tissue. And this, is where the war began.

Despite being a granted citizen of the United States, Rovarco was approached by Peacekeepers a few years after he finished studying at university, who claimed he was illegally living in the country. No-one would listen to him and all his official information and contracts were burnt right in front of him. The Republicans, led by elderly President Oceleus and the Vice President, only 18 years of age, initialised a new regime as part of the Peace-Keeping Act ordering twelve million half-American citizens to be deported to their home country. This was revealed too late, and many of the 'immigrants' had already gone home against their will. Some, like Rovarco, fought back from the start.

Keeping well covered, Rovarco went back to his apartment a final time, only to find it burnt down, raised to it's foundations along with everyone else who was inside it. The Peacekeepers had massacred the entire apartment's owners just for Rovarco's treachery. Angered press and civilians tried to attack the Peacekeepers, but the officers only said one sentence on their speakers before speeding away on their hi-tech motorcycles; "Stamp your ground, we shall stamp it harder." This sentence was widely ridiculed and parodied over the Internet, but many were taking it far more seriously. The government were forced into an enquiry on the situation, but they defended the Peacekeepers the whole time and nothing was ever done. Everyone was in uproar.

This only pushed Rovarco. That same day, working all through the evening, he started setting up fake but convincing 'signatures' and other coded information that made it look as if the US Government had hacked the Chinese, and vice versa. Because Rovarco had managed to breach every security wall, he could pull of the hoax by using coding that only people within the very deep parts of the Pentagon would know about. Rovarco then anonymously sent a drive to a Chinese government representative, and to a CIA operative. His friend from China helped cover his tracks and they bought an apartment in Japan where they hid and watched the events unfold on the news.

It started with a live threat broadcast straight from the Communist Party's offices, which warned America that if they were to hack the Chinese government again, they would be destroyed. America retorted the same, warning the Chinese to stop copying their inventions without permission. Eventually it was worked out that someone had faked the entire thing, but the attitudes between the two governments only grew more restless; in America, people were rioting for the cause of abolishing the Peace-Keeping Act, conspirators and anarchists who mistrusted the government copying Rovarco's moves, and only making America a bigger threat to China. The last straw was when President Oceleus was revealed by spying press to have approved a secret military project on the outskirts of New York that developed force field technology and nuclear missiles, not mentioned to the United Nations. When China found out, they started to copy this research and war was mentioned for the first time. These were the words of Oceleus;

"_I am speaking to the Chinese, to all the Chinese and their government,_

_You are provoking war upon us. You are building the barriers of a hellish future that will see no end until every soul upon the earth is eliminated. Do not condemn your fellow species to extinction because a petty feud between yourselves and men who only want to do what is best for the world. You continue to judge what we do, before attempting to manipulate and imitate what we do for your own good. Do not contradict, just to incite conflict, when you achieve that perspective we can all move on from this in peace. It'll be the new year soon, let 2311 be a good year for everyone._

_Davy Oceleus, U.S President 2308-2310"_

The world waited for seven days. And this was the reply;

" _Mr. Oceleus. There will be no 2311."_

And sure enough, by the end of the month, China and America had helped make those words a reality. They had sparked the ultimate terror of humanity... total annihilation. War.

Terrible war.


	2. Panem Rising

**| PANEM RISING |**

**Nine days before the end. The Day of Lost Hope.**

There was not one press company in the world, except maybe Newsround, who was not reporting China's response to President Oceleus. Endless feuds, debates, doomsayers, peace-makers, and Peacekeepers. Word got out of new crafts being constructed in the Rocky Mountains, somewhere near Jebediah Crane's secret division (although, no longer a secret). It was only a matter of time before the Chinese would be onto this. People started to hope that the crafts were an escape route to some new habitable planet, NASA's officials claimed, but it was all a lie. A big lie. By the end of this day, all the world could do was hope, only to discover the following morning that it was useless.

**Eight days before the end. The Day of Laid Plans.**

Russia's efforts to negotiate with China were useless and they decided to side with the majority, which consisted of a United Nations/European Union coalition organised to defend the world against China's ruthlessness. North Korean forces joined the enemy's hand, and South Korea were immediately invaded by their neighbours, their people massacred or arrested for the crime of existing. News came by the day so quickly that the smart people would know the world was coming to it's end, only those dumbfounded by hope would see it through with optimism. This morning, the world learnt of America's true intent in the Rocky Mountains; the crafts were aerial vehicles that could suspend themselves infinitely by harnessing the energy in the force fields and the power of the nuclear systems built on 'Sector 13' near New York. These 'hovercrafts' were made in the thousands, assigned to every Peacekeeper division in the States. Some other countries had attempted to make their own by the end of this night but their efforts were useless... only America had the right knowledge of the technology to make it work. A permanent force field was put over Sector 13 and the Rocky Mountains, whilst civilians protested violently for force fields on all major cities. Many were shot on sight by Peacekeepers and several hovercrafts were reported to have bombed small towns on the outskirts of Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles. Britain's Parliament questioned the dictatorship activity in America, but President Oceleus was convinced it was necessary, privately excusing that 'the world will end anyway'. At around 11pm, the Vice President, Oceleus's son, was reported missing.

**Seven days before the end. The Day the Continents Died.**

To signal the war, the Chinese military sent their weakest nuclear missile towards America alone, cloaking it's presence with the best technology they had. It went straight into Chicago's city unnoticed and obliterated the entire population. Russia released seven nuclear missiles towards China to try and end the madness, but the weapons failed to detonate... in a matter of seconds they fell back to the earth without any explosions. A few hours later it was reported by French press that Chinese spies had rigged the Russian military's weapons development systems, by employing none other than the famed hacker Rovarco Mitch and his best assistant. Thousands of hovercrafts began swooping over Chinese land, avoiding missiles, and bring bombs down onto innocent people. By mid-day, Beijing was the only city in China left, covered by a force field that an American traitor had secretly been devising for the Communist Party for several months in case of this very war. Iran took their leave in existence when they saw the opportunity to cause their own battle, using all their weaponry at once to nuke Great Britain, Spain and Russia. Russia was only half-destroyed, and they responded by wiping out Iran and it's surrounding countries accidentally. What was left of some of the neighbours used what they had to fight back in revenge for Russia's mistake, whilst the rest of the world mourned the loss of the English and the Spanish. The French blamed Russia and induced a nuclear war with them. America stuck their ground (well, the President did) and wiped out France and the rest of Europe in Russia's favour. Russia kept an alliance with America and focused on what was left of Planet Earth. At about quarter-to-10 at night, the insane leader of Australia secretly initialised a suicidal plot to destroy his whole land and everyone on it. And it worked. There was still no sign of the Vice President, and throughout the night hovercraft after hovercraft, Peacekeeper after Peacekeeper, US Army soldier after soldier raided and brought down all resistance they could find in the world, leaving only Russia, Japan, India and South America's remaining lands on their side. Pretty much all of the world's remaining countries and continents had gone. For good.

**Six days before the end. The Day the Tables Turned.**

Despite what looked like a victory, it was widely believed the world was over anyway. Without so many of the necessary countries in the world, where would stock supply for certain foods, drinks and resources come from? American civilians kept on the protests that the President refused to listen to, because he felt so bathed in his power. Peacekeepers shot at more of their own people and bombed most of the major cities. Russia accused the US Government of genocide and initiated a nuclear strike. Jebediah Crane was literally forced to initiate every single force field that he had already put up for testing in different parts of the state. There were fourteen including the ones on the Rocky Mountains and Sector 13. At about 9pm, Russia's missiles came down on American land. All life outside of the fourteen sectors was wiped out in less than thirty seconds. Inside those fourteen sectors, nothing was even scratched, nor the sonic booms of gravitational effects having any implications on those within the fields. All people could do was watch as the rest of their world was blown to Hell. For what was left of this day, people mourned. An extremely angry President approved a response attack to Russia, who had no force fields at all. About eighteen minutes later, there was no such thing as Russia. Japan and India had been arguing themselves and had wiped each other out by the end of this day. Only the two Americas were left.

**Five days before the end. The Day of Decay.**

South America's countries' supplies were expected to decrease dramatically within less than a week, and they would eventually be unable to hold together. Some representatives of Peru and Brazil's governments attempted to negotiate sharing of stock with President Oceleus, but he refused. Peru threatened to attack America, but nothing ever happened. Nothing was ever going to. Millions more of the remaining American civilians were recruited into the Peacekeepers forces, guarding every inch of North America's borders to stop trespassers. By the afternoon Jebediah Crane had achieved an invisible field that covered the entire continent. President Oceleus expected what was left of his people to wait out the decay of the South Americans. Watch them starve to death. And bleed, with mercy for their neighbours. There were no more press reports, no more comedy television shows on live anymore, just repeats. Somehow Trinket had still survived, and he was rumoured to have been sent to the Rocky Mountains. Millions more people were being picked up by Peacekeepers each day and taken there. No-one knew why. Not until tomorrow.

**Four days before the end. The Day of the Capitol.**

Washington D.C had also been destroyed. President Oceleus and those who still followed him moved with him to the Rocky Mountains. Someone with some guts was still wanting to make news, and had lurked his way to the Rocky Mountains to find out what was going on. Everyone watched as he made a live report, filming his whole journey there. What the Americans saw was not some old building land with half-made hovercrafts and trucks driving round. What they saw was the construction of an entire city. A massive, glistening city that would cover the whole Rocky Mountains and everything around it. The original concepts, Jebediah's scientific centres, could still be seen but they were half-protruding from the mountains themselves, as if hidden away or stuck to them like magnets. Hovercrafts with building arms, Peacekeepers on tall cranes, everyone and everything everywhere all at once in full-motion. The construction of a new hope for humanity. The reporter shows his face for the first time on camera since the beginning of the report, giving some more hope to his viewers back home.

"_You can see, there, the construction of a new hope for humanity. And on my way here, I've hid from hovercrafts. But these were, not just any hovercrafts. I eventually worked out the initials underneath them were all different for different countries. I've seen some return the same day with heaps of baskets hanging from underneath on energy-guarded chains. They're retrieving supplies, everything they can find that hasn't been incinerated by nuclear blasts, and are bringing it back to America. Right in the distance there, on the other side of this city, reads an electronic sign. It says; "Capitol supplies; 16%" All that I have seen is only 16 percent, by the time they have reached hundred we will have enough to live for centuries, and by then, we'll have been growing more of the supplies back in those countries' remains. There is hope, America. There is hope for all of u-"_

What the last of humanity also saw was the reporter being shot in the forehead. Two Peacekeepers dragged his body away, and the third broke the camera. Nothing else happened for the rest of the day in any of the remaining sectors. But a lot was happening in the Rocky Mountains. Or should we say, the Capitol.

**Three days before the end. The Day of the Districts.**

Americans woke up this morning hoping for a message from their government about this 'Capitol'. And they did, but it wasn't what they expected. In fact, it was the complete and utter opposite. A giant screen appeared on the force fields of each remaining sector, showing the Vice President who had been missing. The crude young man/boy was known for his signature hair style; sleek, black and a beard that had a sharp and creative look about it, almost appearing to be pencilled on rather than grown. He grins darkly throughout the entire speech.

"_Americans. This is your President. I have replaced my father. I am overseeing the construction of the Capitol. I am speaking to you on behalf of myself and the future peoples of the great city. As you know, Washington is no more. The White House, it is no more. We have moved the capital of America to here, in the Rocky Mountains, where the great sources of our power have originated from. Sector 13 will no longer have such a name, but it will always be present for the use of nuclear development. Some of you may ask why this is still necessary, and I shall tell you. We are the only ones left in the world. But no-one in our future generations will ever know of that. No-one will ever have to. We must forget what we have done, the mistakes the world has made and how they have affected us, we are united in spirit and we must always be. Each of the remaining sectors of America will become what we want to call 'districts'. Each will focus on an important natural resource that will support the new evolution of the human race. The evolution of Americans into the heavenly country. In three days the Capitol will be complete, Peacekeepers will look after all your districts, and all available men and women will begin doing their bit for humanity. In three days, we will no longer be America. We will be something more. We will be Panem."_

And that was it. The screen cut off, and for a few hours every American outside the Capitol was in uproar before the Peacekeepers stepped in and 'calmed things down'. It was terrifying and exciting for many at the same time. Many thought these districts would be a good thing, and were motivated by good spirit to do whatever was necessary to keep humanity alive. They looked at it like a blessing. Faith in a God was short-lived however, for people started to agree that no God would ever allow this, and that was religion was unimportant. What mattered was the future of Ameri- no. The future of Panem. The districts of Panem. The Capitol.

**Two days before the end. The Day of Peace.**

Peacekeepers were rarely known to abuse anyone violently from this morning, unless it was in response to violence. Before, they would murder anyone for saying a single world. As part of the Capitol's intentions to make the other districts feel welcome to the 'evolution of America', they didn't want policing to be as brutal as it was anymore. The new President's belief was that since the world would be able to move on now, it would be pointless to throw away any more lives unnecessarily the way his father had before. There were still many things the districts didn't know, though, such as what really happened to Oceleus. The majority of the government had in fact trusted the Vice President more, as it was his idea to construct several emergency force fields in America to make the districts, his idea to set up a new city in the Rocky Mountains, and also his clever strategic knowledge that there would be at least twenty safe havens left on the planet containing valuable resources. All Oceleus did was sit in his chair and order mindless attacks on another country, continent or his own people. He didn't see a future, he only saw one end. The end of America. But his son saw Panem.

"_I have replaced my father ..."_

In fact, the new President shot his father dead when he tried to retaliate to his son's 'betrayal'. Oceleus's body was burnt and on this day a second message came to the people telling them to forget about him, and only look to their new President. By the end of the day peace had been established amongst the districts. Most people were looking forward to the new age. Peacekeepers' uniforms now had Panem symbols, and any mention of the old America or any of the states were stripped away. Even certain phrases or words were banned from use if they referred to a previous American or foreign location. What was the point, if there was nothing left but Am- … but Panem?

**One day before the end. The Eve of Panem.**

By mid-day, the Capitol was fully built. Nick Trinket started new clothing lines and sharing them with the new civilians of the Capitol, the most enlightened of humanity. Living in the city themselves, they were ultimately convinced that good change was coming and were ready to embrace it. They were all going to be wealthy and well-stocked on whatever they wanted, and anyone could do anything they set out to do. New chemicals were coming in from overseas on hovercrafts that could potentially cure cancers, heal impossible wounds and burns, create combinations of foods and drinks never before deemed possible. New research in genetics was set to begin on the first day of Panem, in order to find ways of improving other aspects of nature such as plants and animals, by reproducing them through safe cloning and mutating processes. A new temple-like structure was the last building to be done, housing the President and his closest associates. The ashes of the predecessor were placed in a box engraved 'The Sins of Our Father' and buried under the temple for eternity. It was difficult to get used to some of the new architecture and fashion at first, but people started getting into it and walking outside, hanging about with their new selves, to embrace change. To embrace their future. But they didn't know that the other districts were not getting this too. When they would find out, it wouldn't matter.

At midnight, Panem had begun. And for America, it was...

**The End.**


	3. Dark Days Are Coming

**| DARK DAYS ARE COMING |**

The new age of the world had begun. Panem was born, there was no America. America what? Peacekeepers and civilians in each district started work on mines or factories, depending on where they were. The Capitol issued several contracts to appointed mayors of each district, who read each of them out to the whole public in the town square. It was decreed that each district would focus on an important resource to help keep Panem thriving. Obviously, the new President and Jebediah Crane had deliberately chosen specific areas to protect from nuclear destruction depending on the resources present underground, in the woodlands or underwater. However, some surviving areas wouldn't exactly be able to keep up enough to fend for themselves and the Capitol and all the other districts at once, meaning the majority of townsfolk would eventually fall to poverty like most of the other districts. Most people tried not to think about this, but the mayors could see it coming from a mile-off. They were instructed by the President to never breathe a word of false hope unless they want the districts to give up the future of Panem they have so desperately been clinging on to. The resources that each district would focus on were as follows; Luxury for District 1 (e.g. comfortable living and furniture), Masonry and Stonework for District 2, Electronics for District 3, Fishing for District 4, Power for District 5 (basically a second construction centre for hovercrafts), Transportation for District 6 (constructing other methods of travel in the districts and the Capitol), Lumber for District 7, Textiles for District 8, Grain for District 9, Livestock for District 10, Agriculture for District 11, Coal Mining for District 12 and Nuclear Power for District 13.

The residents of the last district were considerably more enlightened than their neighbours, not as much as the Capitol, though. There was a strong sense of power considering they had access to nuclear weaponry, and it was only a matter of time before they could take complete control. Many were growing suspicious of their arrogance and Peacekeepers came in greater numbers to keep tight guard of the nuclear weapon systems. Coal Mining in District 12 was the most dangerous job to prepare for, and a lot of men found themselves being forced to work there unexpectedly, this meant some were far more desperate to find a different job. One of the lucky ones were the Mellarks, who quickly re-established their bakery in District 12 and saved themselves from being condemned to the hellish conditions of the coal mines. Some tried to take up hunting, but a few weeks later a new order came in to disallow it; it was the Capitol's belief that hunting was a selfish act and didn't contribute to everyone, only the hunters themselves. District 11's lands were the most practicable for farming, and supplies came in fast for other districts and the Capitol, although by the time they had been shared there was little to eat individually. It was even harder if you were in a family, and District 11's residents received less than what they gave to their neighbours. Most of them were dark-skinned, and it was clear after a while to many of the President close associates that he had made this a deliberate move, as he and his father were always known for their racist and fascist views. He never believed that non-whites were of American soil, and he obviously didn't learn from that when he started the 'new world'. He was hypocrite too, for he didn't mind anyone of a different colour or race within the Capitol, just those in the other districts. Maybe he wasn't being racist, maybe he just wanted to make a point. But no-one thought about it too much, most people didn't notice it. District 11 considered it a mere coincidence and nothing more, convinced that the President was a decent respectful man who wouldn't discriminate anyone living on his own land.

Districts 10 down to 5 faced similar poverty issues throughout the first year of Panem, and the Capitol reminded them it was always darkest before the dawn (they weren't too wrong about that). District 4's residents were mostly well-off, or at least not as poor as anyone in the other districts. There were so many underwater colonies to fish from that everyone had a chance to put food on the table, and be able to sell any spare catches. The well-known families such as the Troots, the Odairs and the Crestas made a lot of money from their district by breeding some of the rarest species they could find and selling them to those who were lesser off. From this district's point of view, life was good, and actually kind of fun. District 3 had a more satirical perspective on Panem, for even though it's residents were not doing too bad in their lives, the jobs available were ridiculously risky. Most electronic experts would be putting their hands in faulty, unprotected circuits and could easily fry themselves. Often when there were accidents the repercussions would involve blackouts and this could last a whole week if the incident was that bad. Districts 1 and 2 were having some concerns but they didn't feel it was necessary to make a big deal about, not until they were clear if anyone else in Panem was having problems (they didn't want to feel alone in their grievances so as to look like some sort of enemy). In fact, District 1 and 2 were the wealthiest of all. Unlike District 4, they didn't even have to try to be wealthy. The amount of sparkling rarity District 2 workers would find in the rocky grounds were astonishing and very expensive. The Capitol took more than they needed and often gave much of it back to the district to keep everyone there living on top. Favouring the closest two districts was the President's intention; if there was any chance of trouble, at least the closest and most successful of the districts would be by his side. What he had underestimated, however, was the price of District 13 being so far away.

Something else that became apparent when Panem began was the changes in culture – many embraced self-sufficient living, vegetarianism was an elementary joke, and names were different. There were rarely any casual names like Jack, John, Kate, Bethany, Jennifer. Many families named their children based on flowers and other good things, or combined various objects or pieces of nature to make one forename and surname. The idea was that creating new names and cultures would help get people used to the new world. The President had said this once on a live broadcast;

"_This is how we safeguard our future."_

Despite all the downsides in the districts, certain things were starting to ease a little more, like security. For over a year all the force fields remained intact and would be opened for certain occasions, but after a while it became a waste of energy and many were shut down, replaced with extra Peacekeepers and invisible hovercrafts. The people in the districts didn't really care about any of this, they had no intention to run away. If there were any people in Panem who did want to escape, it would be those in District 13. By the end of the first year, the mayor had managed to convince her people that times were not going to change for the better, they were only going to get worse. District 3 had secretly been working on hidden communication technology underground in order to talk with other districts. District 13 acquired this and used it to talk to it's people without any of the Peacekeepers listening. The mayor started talking to other districts too, with the help of 3's spies, trying to persuade them to rise up against the corruption of the Capitol. Many districts weren't convinced enough, so the mayor of 13 made it very clear. He believed that every district had a reason to protest the Capitol, to rebel. She gave these reasons, and these reasons spread around each district, and people started to take notice of the truth, of the darkness that lurked behind their backs, the darkness of the President. It was one thing to think that things weren't as good as they seemed, but to want to rebel against someone as powerful as the Capitol? Ridiculous! But then, District 13 have nuclear power. If they can take on the Peacekeepers successfully, they can get hold of that weaponry and threaten to destroy the Capitol, and take all the supplies for themselves and the other districts. Who needs the Capitol? Was anyone really thinking about the negative repercussions?

About halfway through the second year, the ice in the thirteen districts was getting thin. Requests were firing from every town at the Capitol, at the President. He tried his best to take note of none of them as he read the documents flying across the table to him from his secretary. District 1 needed more utensils to clean what they made for the other districts and themselves to avoid spread of disease. District 2 needed better tools for masonry and stonework because the jobs were too tiring and people died from exhaustion within three hours. District 3 needed better defences on electrical systems to prevent deaths and blackouts. District 4 wanted Peacekeepers to stop using electrical equipment to fry whole lakes and rivers to kill fish and it was unnatural and immoral, as well as environmentally dangerous. District 5 needed more access to the power they used for other districts and the Capitol – they could barely run the simplest pieces of equipment outside of the factories and Peacekeepers would silence anyone caught trying to smuggle special containers. District 6 wanted more fuel from the Capitol so that they could test their vehicles at the factories rather than sending them away and wasting time waiting for them to be sent back if there was something wrong – people struggled to live on what they had when it was like this. District 7 knew that lumber was the cheapest wood and demanded more efficient wood for their homes, which were struggling to keep themselves up in harsh weather conditions. It only got worse when it was discovered many other districts like 12 were being given stronger wood by the Capitol. District 8 wanted better tools for creating textiles; what they had was sensitive and dangerous to use, several had lost their fingers or hands within a month and the Capitol had to waste money fixing them with special medical treatment they had invented. When the Capitol stopped sending in treatment to save themselves the supply, District 8 only got angrier. District 9 needed more space for their jobs, as a lot of Peacekeepers were taking it up with the storage facilities they had that could easily go in the Capitol rather than in the districts. Many who complained to the security were beaten or kicked out of their homes and forced to stay outside for 24 hours, including through the night come rain or shine. These punishments went unnoticed. District 10's livestock was being taken quickly by corrupt Peacekeepers and put in black markets without permission. What people did have was forced to be shared amongst the whole town and most families ended up sharing two chicken legs. 10 and 11 were the poorest. District 11 complained that they were being overworked on the farmlands and that Peacekeepers were violently punishing anyone who asked for a drink of water by lashing them. Many also were convinced that the amount of dark-skinned residents was deliberate and accused the Capitol of racism, demanding more white people to make it equal. District 12 complained about the hunting bans. A man only known by his surname, Everdeen, was seen as the forefront of raising this issue. There were also numerous complaints about the dangerous conditions of underground jobs, echoing the words from District 3's angry workers. District 13 didn't make any complaints, for they were happy with being so close to nuclear technology. However, they were appalled at the Capitol and the Peacekeepers' treatment of the other districts and their resources, and planned to do something about it. It was their belief that the government caused all this in the first place, so it is not for them to take what they want from the districts, who deserve so much more than poverty. Talks of a rebellion began, and echoed through each district, persuading many more to complain about their problems until one day, when someone really snapped.

Districts 3, 6, 7 and 8 knew that District 13's townspeople were going to attempt to raid and take control of their nuclear industry, and what exact time they were going to do it. It would be at the end of the President's latest speech, when Peacekeepers were not expecting or prepared for any sign of an attack. The onlookers would pretend to admire the President until the last word when they would lash out on the security. Guns would be taken and they would fire. Flames would rise and raise the newly built Justice Building to it's foundations. Even the mayors knew, and they were ready. In the other districts, people weren't planning to do anything until they saw if the other districts were successful enough. If District 13 got control of the nuclear technology, they would join the rebellion. If they didn't, they would act as if nothing had happened and let five of their neighbours suffer the unimaginable consequences of their actions, maybe even grow to hate them for their pointless treachery, even when deep inside they may have wanted it too.

At mid-day, on July 30th of Panem's second year, the President spoke again to the districts, who all gathered at their Justice Buildings to watch him talk on the big screen.

"_My fellow people. This is your President. I am here to talk with you on the basis of some of the problems you have been facing in your districts, the conditions of living, of your jobs, of your good spirit. I understand that it is hard for you, but as I have said, the night is always darkest before the dawn. The dawn is on it's way, my good people. You just have to see it, you have to be ready for it. Because I am, and if I can be, so can you. Don't give up on a dream that isn't a dream anymore. Panem is real. This is real. The future of humanity is real. But in life or in death, you will see it through, real or not real."_

And in that moment, chaos began. In District 13, workers started attacking Peacekeepers on guard and restraining them. Most of them were thrown into empty rooms and locked up without their weapons. Workers became the guards as more workers and other townspeople came charging through all the corridors and gateways, getting everything they could. The mayor lead the experts to the nuclear weapons sector, reinforced with nearly a hundred townspeople, armed and dangerous. The Peacekeepers' efforts to defend were useless and even the A.I weapons defence system was destroyed by a grenade thrown into the air and shot. Experts got onto working the missiles, the entire industry was guarded by hundreds of District 13 residents, and most of the Peacekeepers were forced to escape. Hovercrafts threatened to firebomb the industry but were commanded by the Capitol to retreat – if they attacked it would have devastating consequences for them (quite literally). Word of the success came to Districts 3, 6, 7 and 8, who had already been doing their own bit; fighting off security, stealing police vehicles, taking the weapons and using them to shoot at the defence systems. The Justice Building was burnt down and anybody unable to fight ran back to their homes and waited in silence. When the other districts found out 13 had acquired the nukes, they began to go mad too. Men and women ran around screaming for the rebellion, attacking Peacekeepers and raiding their quarters, taking everything they could. The rebels became organised and District 13 had somehow stolen a hovercraft, turning it invisible and using it to send low-level but powerful weapons to each of the districts. Within a month, every district was equipped enough for full-scale war with the Capitol, who had barely done anything. The President made no speeches, no-one tried to attack. Everyone just waited. What _was _the President doing?

He sat at his chair, in the great hall that was his dining room, looking over the complaints from the districts again. The Vice President sat near him, and the secretary. He shifted for a while before finally saying something.

"Sir, I don't think looking over that is relevant anymore. The districts are all set for a full-scale rebellion, we haven't answered their issues and now they're ready to kill us-"

"They won't kill us, Vitch." The President threw the papers off the table and put his hands to his head. "They don't have what it takes."

"District 13 has nuclear weapons." There was a brief pause, and the President eventually looked up.

"And do you think they will really use them? Do you think, that after everything we have achieved as Panem, they will destroy it? If there is no Capitol, they're only going to lose MORE supplies!" He was nearly snapping now, but having realised this he regained his calmness and tried to sit still and straighten his back, but it pretty much looked like he was sinking into his chair like an exhausted frail man, not someone of twenty-something.

"Maybe you are right, sir, but we have to do something-" Before anyone could say anymore, there was the great sound of an explosion. The President and his associates darted to the large oval window and looked outside. What they saw was terrifying and miraculous at the same time, like a great threatening bubble being burst over a whole city.

"Is that the force field?" asked the secretary in an oddly high-pitched voice.

"Yes," said the President darkly. He grimaced. "those weasels have used a missile to destroy the force field."

"But how!? Nothing can penetrate them!"

"Some of the missiles in 13 can, that's why it was the most dangerous. I knew people might try to use it to their advantage." The Vice President nearly spat on the floor at his leader's words. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The President nodded as if agreeing with a thought in his head and left the dining hall, his right-hand man walking swiftly after him. They turned down a long spiral staircase, glistening with diamond-encrusted tiles.

"Why on _earth _would you allow people to live there if you knew of the dangers!?"

"Because I had an idea." The President smirked a little, but the Vice President didn't notice. "Something planned, if they wanted to test themselves against me. I was always going to do it, but I thought I'd least give the possibility of it not happening a chance."

"What are you talking about!?" The Vice President seemed to be panting with frustration and confusion.

"It doesn't matter for now." The President reached the end of the staircase and walked through two arched double-doors to his balcony, where he would give speeches to the Capitol's population. He stood right at the front, watching the destruction of the force field with a menacing grin plastered on his face, as he heard the confused cries of the people in the city below him. The Vice President stood beside him, looking on too with fear, and asked his leader one last question.

"What are we going to do now, then? What's our plan?"

"Our plan? There is no plan. We are at war, my friend. Let's see what Panem's got."


End file.
